Regency romance with a twist!

Infamous: a Novel by Lex Croucher          

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re expecting dark romantic lordly heroes and striding Heyer type heroines, this is not that.

This was, welcome to the world of bohemian, Byronic type artistes. We get there by our hero Eddie ( Edith Miller) haring off to spend time sitting at the feet of her adored poet Nash, in a ruined house, on an island that’s hard to get to. (Supposed artistic retreat for a summer house party. Parents are told his wife will chaperon the party, but therein lies another story). Nash is to help her hone her writing and introduce her to his publisher.

The house is atmospheric (cold) possibly haunted (holes in roof causing moaning winds), with a silent staff (that is, few staff scurrying around trying to do all that can for their lord and master, a bigger pustule on the underside of the bottom I’ve ever seen). Nash is all daring do, given to outre gestures, childlike tantrums and deceitful escapades, including arguing, occasional dashes of charm, and tantrums.

Eddie of course, takes it as part of his poetic wonderfulness, even as he tries to drug and wine his way into her arms. He does violate her intellect. I suspected what he might have been up to halfway through. 

Her lifelong friend Rose, whose decided to marry Albert Rednock accompanies Eddie, despite Rose being wary of the group. That all comes to a head when the mysterious death of a past maid is brought into the open (a somewhat confusing and sketchy confrontation with her son Henry left me wondering why include that? Did I miss the point. Was there a point? except to show that Nash has just too many secrets and dodgy characteristics.) I feel for his wife Liza who storms off at some stage, but returns because their marriage is one of compromises.

Eventually Eddie gets her HEA just not in the way she’d envisaged.

A very different, action filled Regency, sapphic, romantic comedy.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.